FlexiLingoTCF Canada Speaking (Expression Orale): The 3 Tasks Explained, with Sample Answers (2026)
Twelve minutes, three tasks, an examiner sitting across from you and a recording that a second marker listens to. What each task really expects, three B2-level sample answers, and a two-week routine to improve your speaking.
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Open TCF Canada practice1TCF Canada speaking at a glance
Speaking (expression orale) is one of the four compulsory parts of TCF Canada. It is an individual test, face to face with an examiner, and it lasts 12 minutes in total, including 2 minutes of preparation. It has three tasks, and they look nothing alike and are not prepared the same way.
This article does not repeat the general format of the exam — the two multiple-choice tests, the writing test, the two scoring scales and the full equivalency chart. All of that is covered in our guide to the TCF Canada format and scoring. Here we focus on the 12 minutes of speaking, task by task, with a sample answer for each.
The timings and objectives below come from the official TCF Canada page and the candidate handbook published by France Éducation international, the body that designs and marks the test. The NCLC equivalences come from the charts published by IRCC.
| Task | Preparation | Length of the exchange | Official objective |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 · Entretien dirigé | None | 2 min | Show that you can hold an exchange with someone you do not know: the examiner. |
| 2 · Exercice en interaction | 2 min | 3 min 30 | Show that you can obtain information in an everyday situation. Your role and the role of the person you are talking to are set out in the instructions. |
| 3 · Expression d'un point de vue | None | 4 min 30 | Show that you can speak spontaneously, continuously and persuasively, answering a question chosen by the examiner. |
The three TCF Canada speaking tasks: preparation, length and official objective
Two of the three tasks are conversations, not presentations. And the only task with preparation time, Task 2, is the one where you ask the questions. A candidate who only rehearses monologues brings the wrong tool for two thirds of the test.
2On the day: how the speaking test runs
The test takes place in a room, facing an examiner certified by France Éducation international. The examiner explains the instructions, runs the three tasks and makes a first assessment of your level. Before the first task, they ask for your first and last name and repeat it; at the end, they check in front of you that the recording worked.
The interview is recorded, and the recording is sent to France Éducation international for a second assessment. In other words, two people judge your speaking: the one sitting across from you, and a marker who has never seen you and only hears your voice.
Even if you take the rest of the test on a computer, speaking always happens face to face with an examiner. The candidate handbook also provides for scrap paper during the TCF Canada speaking test, which is what lets you organise your questions during the 2 minutes of preparation for Task 2.
What is not published: the handbook does not say in what form the Task 2 instructions are given, nor how the examiner takes part during Task 3. All three tasks are described as exchanges of a set length. Be ready to speak on your own for the whole of Task 3, and to react if the examiner prompts you.
3Task 1 — the guided interview (2 minutes, no preparation)
The first task lasts 2 minutes and starts without preparation. Its official objective is to show that you can hold an exchange with someone you do not know, in this case the examiner. Of the abilities assessed in the speaking test, this is where the first one is tested: talking about yourself, your family and your work.
The word dirigé (guided) matters: the examiner leads. They invite you to introduce yourself, then they can pick up on what you say. Two minutes is short, and that is exactly why the task is deceptive: it feels as if reciting a memorised introduction would be enough.
But a recited introduction is obvious straight away: a rhythm that is too even, flat intonation, and panic as soon as the examiner asks an unexpected question. What the task rewards is a clear, natural introduction with concrete details, and the ability to answer a follow-up question without losing the thread.
Who you are and where you live, family, work or studies, free time, plans. For each block, two or three concrete details and the vocabulary that goes with them. On the day, you put them together in whatever order the examiner suggests.
« Je suis coordonnateur logistique » is a fact. « J'organise les livraisons vers les épiceries de la région et je règle les retards de dernière minute » shows you can describe. The second one is what makes the difference.
The present for your situation, the passé composé and imparfait for your background, the conditionnel and futur for your plans. An introduction that never leaves the present tense hits a ceiling quickly.
When the examiner asks you a question, answer it directly first, then add a reason or an example. A one-word answer shuts the exchange down; an endless answer stops the examiner from leading.
Task 1 is not just an ice-breaker. It is assessed like the other two: the examiner and the marker each give a level to each of the three tasks, and the final mark takes all six levels into account.
4Sample answer — Task 1
Here is a typical opening instruction and an answer written by FlexiLingo. It is not an official exam topic: it is an original example, written to target the B2 level. The answer is followed by two follow-up questions from the examiner, because the task is won or lost in those follow-ups.
Bonjour. Nous allons commencer. Présentez-vous, s'il vous plaît : parlez-moi de vous, de votre famille, de votre travail et de ce que vous aimez faire.
Bonjour. Je m'appelle Sam, j'ai trente-quatre ans et j'habite à Toronto depuis bientôt quatre ans, dans le quartier de North York. Je vis avec ma conjointe et notre fille de six ans, qui vient d'entrer en première année. D'ailleurs, c'est en partie grâce à elle que je fais des progrès en français, parce qu'elle va dans une école d'immersion et qu'elle me corrige tous les soirs !
Sur le plan professionnel, je suis coordonnateur logistique dans une entreprise de distribution alimentaire. Concrètement, j'organise les livraisons vers les épiceries de la région et je règle les problèmes de dernière minute : un camion en retard, une commande incomplète, ce genre de choses. C'est un travail parfois stressant, mais j'aime le fait qu'aucune journée ne ressemble à la précédente.
Pendant mon temps libre, j'essaie de profiter de la ville. L'été, on fait du vélo le long du lac Ontario, et l'hiver dernier, je me suis mis au patin, même si je ne suis pas encore très doué.
Pourquoi avez-vous choisi d'apprendre le français ?
Pour deux raisons, surtout. D'abord, mon entreprise a des clients au Québec et au Nouveau-Brunswick, et je voudrais pouvoir leur parler directement, sans passer par un collègue. Ensuite, c'est un projet personnel : je trouve que parler les deux langues officielles, c'est une façon de mieux comprendre le pays où je vis.
Et dans cinq ans, où est-ce que vous vous voyez ?
Si tout va bien, j'aimerais devenir responsable d'une équipe. Et pourquoi pas passer une année à Montréal avec ma famille, pour que ma fille soit vraiment bilingue. Mais bon, on verra : il faut d'abord que je réussisse cet examen !
Why this answer works
Personal life, work, free time: three blocks in the order asked for, each opened by a clear signpost (« Sur le plan professionnel », « Pendant mon temps libre »). The examiner never has to work out where you are.
« Un camion en retard, une commande incomplète », « elle me corrige tous les soirs », « je me suis mis au patin ». These details turn an ID card into a description, and describing is part of what is assessed.
Present with « depuis », passé composé (« je me suis mis au patin »), conditionnel (« j'aimerais », « je voudrais »), subjonctif (« pour que ma fille soit », « il faut que je réussisse »). Nothing is bolted on: each structure is there because the meaning needs it.
« Pour deux raisons, surtout. D'abord… Ensuite… »: the answer announces its structure, gives two reasons and stops. The register stays polite without being stiff, and the touch of humour at the end sounds natural, not recited.
No text guarantees a mark. In speaking, pronunciation, fluency and the way you interact are assessed just as much as vocabulary and grammar. Use this example to spot a structure, not to learn it by heart: a recited introduction is precisely what Task 1 is designed to expose.
5Task 2 — the interaction exercise (2 minutes of preparation, 3 minutes 30 of dialogue)
Task 2 is the only one with preparation: 2 minutes to read the instructions and get organised, then 3 minutes 30 of dialogue. Its official objective is to show that you can obtain information in an everyday situation. The instructions set out your role and the role of the person you are talking to, who is played by the examiner.
The decisive point fits in one sentence: you ask the questions. The examiner plays a role and answers you, but it is up to you to lead the exchange, get what you need and keep it going. Of the abilities assessed, this is where « poser des questions adaptées à la situation de communication proposée » (asking questions suited to the situation) appears.
Candidates lose marks here without realising it, in three ways: they answer more than they ask, they fire off closed questions without listening to the answers, or they run out of questions after one minute. The 2 minutes of preparation are there to avoid all three traps.
On your scrap paper, note four or five topics linked to the instructions — availability, price, opening hours, conditions, rules — and one or two questions per topic. Keywords, not full sentences: you need to be able to look up at the examiner.
« Est-ce que… ? », inversion (« Organisez-vous… ? »), indirect questions (« J'aimerais savoir si… »), « Qu'est-ce que… ? », « Combien de temps… ? ». Variety of forms is evidence of control; ten questions all starting with « est-ce que » are not.
A list read out in one go is not a dialogue. If the examiner mentions a waiting list, ask how long it is. That is what shows you are listening and can interact, not just interrogate.
An opening that frames your request (« Je viens d'emménager et j'aimerais quelques renseignements »), then, at the end, a summary of what you understood and a thank-you. That is appropriateness to the communicative situation, one of the three official criteria.
Keep vous from start to finish, unless the instructions clearly put you in a familiar relationship with the other person. Saying tu to a staff member you do not know is a register error, not a sign of ease.
6Sample answer — Task 2
An original instruction written by FlexiLingo, and a model dialogue targeting the B2 level. The examiner's lines are deliberately short and general: in the real test, the examiner invents the details of their role, and it is your job to get them out.
Vous venez de vous installer à Montréal et vous aimeriez cultiver un petit potager dans le jardin communautaire de votre quartier. Je suis la responsable du jardin. Vous me posez des questions pour savoir comment obtenir une parcelle et comment le jardin fonctionne (inscription, coût, règles, activités, etc.).
Bonjour Madame. Excusez-moi de vous déranger. Je viens d'emménager dans le quartier, et on m'a dit que vous vous occupiez du jardin communautaire. Est-ce que je pourrais vous poser quelques questions ?
Bien sûr, je vous écoute.
Merci beaucoup. D'abord, j'aimerais savoir s'il reste des parcelles disponibles cette année.
Pas pour le moment, mais il existe une liste d'attente.
Ah, d'accord. Et en général, combien de temps faut-il attendre avant d'obtenir une parcelle ?
Ça dépend des années. Parfois quelques mois, parfois plus.
Je vois. Pour m'inscrire sur cette liste, est-ce que je dois remplir un formulaire en ligne, ou est-ce que je peux le faire directement avec vous ?
Vous pouvez le faire ici, avec une preuve d'adresse.
Parfait, j'ai justement mon bail avec moi. Et du côté du coût, faut-il payer des frais d'inscription ou une cotisation annuelle ?
Il y a une petite cotisation chaque année.
D'accord. Qu'est-ce qu'elle comprend exactement ? L'eau et les outils sont-ils fournis, ou chacun apporte-t-il son propre matériel ?
L'eau est comprise, et il y a quelques outils en commun.
Très bien. J'imagine qu'il y a aussi des règles à respecter. Par exemple, a-t-on le droit d'utiliser des engrais chimiques ?
Non, uniquement des produits naturels. Et chaque membre participe à l'entretien des allées.
Ah, c'est une bonne idée. Ça représente combien d'heures par saison, à peu près ?
Quelques heures, réparties sur l'été.
Ça me paraît raisonnable. Une dernière chose : j'ai une fille de six ans. Les enfants peuvent-ils venir au jardin, et organisez-vous des activités pour les familles ?
Oui, il y a des ateliers le samedi matin.
Super, elle va adorer. Alors, si j'ai bien compris : je m'inscris aujourd'hui sur la liste d'attente avec ma preuve d'adresse, la cotisation annuelle comprend l'eau et les outils partagés, et je participe à l'entretien quelques heures par saison. C'est bien ça ?
C'est exactement ça.
Merci beaucoup pour toutes ces informations, vous m'avez beaucoup aidé. Bonne fin de journée !
Why this dialogue works
« Je viens d'emménager dans le quartier, et on m'a dit que vous vous occupiez du jardin communautaire. » In one sentence the candidate says who they are and why they are there, then politely asks whether they may ask some questions. That is exactly the appropriateness to the situation that the sociolinguistic criterion measures.
« Est-ce que… », indirect questions (« j'aimerais savoir s'il reste… »), simple inversion (« faut-il », « organisez-vous », « a-t-on »), complex inversion (« les enfants peuvent-ils »), « qu'est-ce que », « combien de temps » and plain intonation (« C'est bien ça ? »). The variety of forms shows control; the number of questions shows the candidate is leading the exchange.
Waiting list, then how long; annual fee, then what it covers; looking after the paths, then how many hours. The candidate listens before asking the next question, and that is what turns a list of questions into a real interaction.
« Si j'ai bien compris… C'est bien ça ? » The final summary shows the information was understood and closes the exchange cleanly, followed by thanks. The candidate keeps vous from start to finish.
In the real test, the examiner may give longer or unexpected answers, or ask you to clarify. Do not aim for a fixed number of questions: none is published. Aim for a list rich enough to fill 3 minutes 30, and practise building on what you hear.
7Task 3 — expressing a point of view (4 minutes 30, no preparation)
The last task is the longest: 4 minutes 30, with no preparation. The examiner chooses a question and you must answer it spontaneously, continuously and persuasively. Most of the assessed abilities are concentrated here: giving your opinion, explaining advantages and disadvantages, expressing agreement and disagreement, presenting a clear and structured argument, developing a subject and concluding.
In the topics candidates report after their session, the same broad themes keep coming back: work, technology, education, family, the environment, immigration. The TCF assesses your French, not your knowledge: what is judged is your ability to build an argument out loud, not whether your opinion is the right one.
Without preparation, the main risk is not running out of French, it is running out of structure. Many candidates give their opinion in thirty seconds, add one example, then stop after a minute and a half. A skeleton learned in advance, usable for any topic, solves that problem.
Rephrase the question in your own words, then state your position clearly and, if you can, your plan: « Je pense que oui, mais pas n'importe comment, et je vais expliquer pourquoi. »
One argument, one explanation, one concrete example. The example can be personal — something you lived through in Toronto or Montréal — or general. An argument without an example stays abstract.
Change angle: if the first argument was about quality of life, the second can be about health, the economy or society. Two well-developed arguments are worth more than five listed ones.
Acknowledge the objections: « Cela dit, je comprends les inquiétudes de ceux qui… ». This is where you show you can express agreement and disagreement, and it is often what gives an answer depth.
Suggest a compromise or a condition, then conclude by restating your position in one or two sentences. A signposted conclusion (« En conclusion… ») tells the examiner you are managing your time.
The timings for each step are a FlexiLingo practice guide, not an official rule. If you finish too early, do not rush the conclusion: add an example or develop the nuance. The handbook does not say how an answer that is too short is treated; what is certain is that it gives the markers less to assess.
8Sample answer — Task 3
An original question written by FlexiLingo, on a subject that affects every large Canadian city, and a model answer targeting the B2 level. At a steady speaking pace it takes a little under four minutes to say, which leaves room for a possible follow-up from the examiner.
Faut-il réserver davantage de rues aux piétons et aux cyclistes dans les grandes villes comme Toronto ou Montréal, quitte à réduire la place de la voiture ? Donnez votre opinion.
C'est une question qui divise beaucoup, et je la trouve intéressante parce qu'elle touche à la vie quotidienne de presque tout le monde. Pour ma part, je pense que oui, les grandes villes devraient donner plus de place aux piétons et aux cyclistes, mais pas n'importe comment, et je vais expliquer pourquoi.
D'abord, il y a un argument de qualité de vie. Quand une rue devient piétonne, même seulement pendant l'été, elle change complètement d'atmosphère : il y a moins de bruit, l'air est plus agréable, et les gens prennent le temps de s'arrêter, de s'asseoir sur une terrasse, de discuter. À Montréal, par exemple, plusieurs rues commerçantes deviennent piétonnes pendant la belle saison, et moi-même, quand je m'y promène, je remarque que je m'arrête beaucoup plus souvent dans les petits commerces que si j'étais en voiture.
Ensuite, il y a un argument de santé et de sécurité. Si les gens se sentent protégés sur une piste cyclable séparée de la circulation, ils sont beaucoup plus nombreux à laisser leur voiture à la maison, au moins pour les petits trajets. Moi, par exemple, je n'osais pas faire du vélo à Toronto quand je suis arrivé, parce que je trouvais la circulation trop dangereuse. C'est seulement quand une piste protégée a été aménagée près de chez moi que j'ai commencé à aller au travail à vélo, trois fois par semaine.
Cela dit, je comprends tout à fait les inquiétudes de ceux qui s'y opposent. Tout le monde ne peut pas se déplacer à pied ou à vélo : je pense aux personnes âgées, aux personnes à mobilité réduite, aux parents qui doivent déposer trois enfants à l'école, ou aux artisans qui transportent du matériel. Et puis, il faut être honnête, le climat canadien complique les choses : faire du vélo en janvier, par moins vingt, ce n'est pas donné à tout le monde.
C'est pourquoi, à mon avis, la solution n'est pas d'interdire la voiture, mais de proposer de vraies alternatives. Si on réduit la place de l'automobile, il faut en même temps améliorer les transports en commun, garder un accès pour les livraisons et les services d'urgence, et adapter les aménagements aux quartiers et aux saisons. Une rue piétonne en plein centre-ville n'a pas le même sens qu'en banlieue, où les distances sont beaucoup plus grandes.
En conclusion, je suis plutôt favorable à ce qu'on donne plus d'espace aux piétons et aux cyclistes, parce que les villes y gagnent en qualité de vie, en santé et en sécurité. Mais pour que ce changement soit accepté, il doit se faire progressivement, en écoutant ceux qui dépendent vraiment de leur voiture. Une ville agréable, c'est une ville où chacun peut se déplacer, pas seulement ceux qui ont choisi le même moyen de transport que moi.
Why this answer works
« Pour ma part, je pense que oui… mais pas n'importe comment, et je vais expliquer pourquoi. » Position, announced nuance, plan: the examiner knows where the answer is going before it starts.
Quality of life, illustrated by pedestrian streets in summer; health and safety, illustrated by a personal experience with a protected bike lane. Each paragraph carries a single argument, and each argument rests on an example.
« Cela dit, je comprends tout à fait les inquiétudes de ceux qui s'y opposent »: older people, deliveries, the Canadian winter. The answer does not just mention the objection; it draws a proposal from it (« la solution n'est pas d'interdire la voiture, mais de proposer de vraies alternatives »).
D'abord, ensuite, cela dit, et puis, c'est pourquoi, à mon avis, en conclusion; the subjonctif (« favorable à ce qu'on donne », « pour que ce changement soit accepté »); the gérondif (« en écoutant »); an idiom (« ce n'est pas donné à tout le monde »). The register stays spoken and personal without becoming casual.
This answer is smoother than real speech, and that is normal: when speaking, people hesitate, correct themselves and rephrase. What matters is not reproducing this text but its frame — position, two illustrated arguments, concession, solution, conclusion — which you can reuse on any topic.
9How the speaking test is marked
Speaking is assessed twice, completely independently and double-blind. The first assessment is made by the examiner who ran the interview; the second by a marker trained by France Éducation international, working from the recording. Neither knows the level the other one gave.
Each of them gives each of the three tasks a level, from « A1 non atteint » (A1 not reached) to « C2 ». A calculation rule takes the six levels into account and produces a final mark out of 20, together with a CEFR level. In the rare cases where the two assessments are far apart, a third marking is always carried out.
What is not published: the calculation rule itself. France Éducation international does not say how the six levels are combined, or whether one task weighs more than another. Be wary of any website or tool that claims to calculate your mark out of 20 from your three tasks: it is making the formula up.
Range and control of vocabulary, grammatical accuracy, ease, pronunciation, overall fluency.
Interaction, organisation of speech, coherence and cohesion, development of the topic.
Appropriateness to the communicative situation: the right register and the right phrases, with the right person.
These three families of criteria explain why grammatically correct French is not enough. A Task 2 with no questions falls short on the pragmatic side; a misplaced tu falls short on the sociolinguistic side; a recited monologue delivered without ease falls short on the linguistic side, even with no mistakes at all.
On the results certificate, the mark out of 20 is translated into a CEFR level using France Éducation international's grid: 6 to 9 is B1, 10 to 13 is B2, 14 to 17 is C1, and 18 to 20 is C2.
Worth knowing in 2026: until now, a re-mark of the speaking test could be requested through your test centre within one month of the certificates being sent out. France Éducation international says these requests will no longer be accepted for sessions from 1 September 2026, for about a year, with the service expected to resume in autumn 2027. Aim for a margin rather than counting on a re-mark.
10From a mark out of 20 to NCLC
In your immigration application, what counts is not the mark out of 20 but the Canadian Language Benchmark level in French (NCLC, niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens) that it corresponds to. The table below reproduces the speaking column of IRCC's published equivalencies; the last column gives the CEFR level that the candidate handbook attaches to each band.
The bands are narrow. Between NCLC 7 and NCLC 9 there are only four points out of 20, and each of those levels spans just two marks. In speaking, a single extra point can therefore move you up a whole level.
| NCLC | Speaking mark (out of 20) | CEFR level |
|---|---|---|
| 10+ | 16 – 20 | C1 – C2 |
| 9 | 14 – 15 | C1 |
| 8 | 12 – 13 | B2 |
| 7 | 10 – 11 | B2 |
| 6 | 7 – 9 | B1 |
| 5 | 6 | B1 |
| 4 | 4 – 5 | A2 |
TCF Canada speaking mark and the corresponding NCLC level, according to IRCC's equivalency charts
NCLC 7 in all four abilities is the threshold that comes up most often: it is the minimum for the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the entry condition for the French-language proficiency category in Express Entry. In speaking, it corresponds to a mark of 10 or 11 out of 20. For citizenship, IRCC accepts a TCF Canada result of B1 or higher in listening and speaking, which means at least 6 out of 20 in speaking.
For the full table of all four abilities and the thresholds of the different programs, see our guide to the TCF Canada format and scoring. For the additional points French brings from NCLC 7 upwards, see our article on French and Express Entry.
IRCC never averages the abilities. With 9 out of 20 in speaking and NCLC 7 or higher everywhere else, your application is treated as NCLC 6 for any threshold required in all four abilities. For many candidates, speaking is the ability that holds them back, because it is the hardest one to practise alone.
11The most common mistakes
The mistakes that cost marks in speaking are rarely isolated grammar errors. They are strategy errors, and you can fix them before you even start working on the language.
In Task 1, a memorised text is audible: mechanical rhythm, flat intonation, freezing at the first follow-up question. The task assesses an exchange, not a recitation. Prepare blocks of content, not sentences.
The official objective is to obtain information. If the examiner talks more than you do, or you spend your time describing your own situation, the instructions have not been followed, whatever your level of French.
Ten questions read one after another, without ever building on the answers, do not make an interaction. At least one question in two should take into account what the examiner has just said.
One opinion, one example, and silence after a minute and a half. Without a plan, the longest task becomes the shortest. The five-step skeleton exists for exactly this.
Saying tu to someone the instructions present as a staff member or a stranger, slipping « ouais » or « genre » into an argument: the sociolinguistic criterion assesses precisely how well you fit the situation. Vous is the safe choice.
Searching for a word in silence for five seconds costs more than talking around it. Keep a few phrases ready: « Comment dire… », « Autrement dit… », « Laissez-moi réfléchir un instant », « Si je reformule… ». They keep you talking and show ease.
A seventh mistake is quieter: practising only in writing. Writing out your answers helps you structure them, but the test also assesses pronunciation, ease and fluency. Until you have recorded yourself, you do not know how you sound.
12A two-week routine: record, compare, fix
Many candidates record themselves, transcribe their answer by hand, then ask an AI tool to mark it. Recording and transcribing are excellent habits; the mark, much less so. The official calculation rule is not published, and a transcript contains neither your pronunciation nor your fluency. Use the transcript to find your mistakes, not to predict a score.
The routine below takes 30 to 45 minutes a day, with a phone and a timer. It always follows the same cycle: record yourself in exam conditions, compare with a model, fix one thing, then start again.
Record all three tasks in real conditions: 2 minutes for Task 1, 2 minutes of preparation then 3 minutes 30 for Task 2, 4 minutes 30 for Task 3. Listen back, transcribe the first minute of Task 3 and note three precise problems: a missing word, a tense you avoid, a silence that runs too long.
Prepare your five blocks (you, family, work, free time, plans) with two concrete details each. Have someone close to you ask unexpected follow-up questions, or draw them at random from a list you wrote yourself. Record three versions; the third must not repeat either of the first two word for word.
Pick three instructions from the topic bank. For each one: 2 minutes of preparation on a timer, a list by topic, then the dialogue with someone playing the role. Listen back and count your questions and their forms. Goal: no single form used more than three times.
One topic a day, no preparation, 4 minutes 30 on a timer, following the five-step skeleton. Then read the plan and the model answer offered for that topic, note the two connectors or structures you were missing, and record the same topic again using them.
Go back through all your transcripts and list your five most frequent mistakes: noun gender, agreement, prepositions, past tenses, anglicisms. Prepare the correct form for each, then record one topic from each task again, watching only those five points.
All three tasks back to back, in 12 minutes, with someone playing the examiner if possible. Assess the recording against the three official families of criteria: linguistic, pragmatic, sociolinguistic. For each, note one strength and one thing to fix.
Listen to your day-one recording, then your mock test. Compare the length of your answers, the number of silences and the variety of structures. That tells you what to work on next far better than an estimated mark.
If nobody can play the examiner, record your follow-up questions in advance and play them back in random order. What matters is never knowing exactly what is coming, just like on exam day.
One fix at a time. Trying to correct everything at once — pronunciation, grammar, structure — mostly just slows your delivery down. Choose one point per session, and save the others for the next one.
13Practise for free on FlexiLingo
To record yourself, you need topics. Our TCF Canada section gathers, for free, the topics candidates report after their session, reworded by FlexiLingo and sorted by task and by theme. They are not official exam questions, and nobody can guarantee what will come up in your session: they are realistic situations to practise with.
Task 1, Task 2 and Task 3 each have their own page, with topics sorted by theme — work, family, education, culture, health, immigration, technology, environment. You work on the task that is costing you marks, not all three at once.
For the analysed topics, a way to structure the answer and a complete model answer, with its translation. This is the compare step of the routine: record yourself first, then set your answer against the model.
On the topic pages, tap any French word to see what it means. Handy for preparing the vocabulary of a theme before you record yourself.
The format, scoring and NCLC equivalences of TCF Canada, with the official tables. The page to keep open while you prepare your application.
Start with the task that scares you most. It is almost always the one where a few recorded sessions make the biggest difference.
Frequently Asked Questions
12 minutes in total, including 2 minutes of preparation. Task 1 (entretien dirigé, the guided interview) lasts 2 minutes, with no preparation. Task 2 (exercice en interaction, the interaction exercise) has 2 minutes of preparation followed by 3 minutes 30 of dialogue. Task 3 (expression d'un point de vue, expressing a point of view) lasts 4 minutes 30, with no preparation.
No. The TCF can be taken on paper or on a computer, but speaking always takes place face to face with an examiner. The interview is recorded so that a second marker can assess it again.
Two people, independently and double-blind: the examiner who ran the interview, then a marker trained by France Éducation international who listens to the recording. Each gives each of the three tasks a level from « A1 non atteint » to « C2 »; an unpublished calculation rule combines the six levels into a mark out of 20. If the two assessments are far apart, a third marking is carried out.
According to IRCC's equivalency charts, a mark of 10 or 11 out of 20 corresponds to NCLC 7, 12 or 13 to NCLC 8, 14 or 15 to NCLC 9, and 16 to 20 to NCLC 10 or higher. The four abilities are converted separately, with no averaging.
Yes, the content: who you are, your family, your work, your free time, your plans, with a few concrete details and the vocabulary to match. But not a script learned by heart. The examiner leads the exchange and can pick up on what you say; a recited introduction is audible, and it falls apart at the first unexpected question.
No number is published. The official objective is to obtain information over 3 minutes 30 of dialogue, which means you need a list rich enough to fill that time. In our example the candidate asks about a dozen questions: treat that as a rough guide for practice, not a rule.
Normally, yes: the request goes through your test centre within one month of the certificates being sent out, and there may be a fee. But France Éducation international says re-marking requests for speaking and writing will no longer be accepted for sessions from 1 September 2026, for about a year, with the service expected to resume in autumn 2027.
TCF Canada is made up of four compulsory tests, and the candidate handbook only describes taking the speaking and writing tests on their own for the TCF tout public. Check with your test centre before booking. You can take TCF Canada as many times as you like; the official page states a wait of 20 days between two sittings.
Related Reading
Practise your speaking on the topics candidates report
Real TCF Canada practice questions for all four skills, each with the reasoning behind the right answer — written for the Canada immigration version of the test.
Full-length practice, free — no card and no sign-up to start.